Hyderabad Police Warn Voters of OTP Scams During SIR 2026 Electoral Roll Drive

The Hyderabad Police have issued an advisory warning voters across Hyderabad against cyber fraudsters who are posing as election officials to steal One-Time Passwords (OTPs) and sensitive banking details. The warning, issued on Thursday, 9 July 2026, comes amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 of electoral rolls in the city.

City Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar urged the public to remain alert, noting that scammers are actively attempting to exploit the ongoing voter verification process to steal personal and financial information. The police department released the advisory to raise public awareness and prevent citizens from falling victim to these OTP scams.

According to the advisory, fraudsters are contacting voters while impersonating Booth Level Officers (BLOs) or Election Commission officials. The callers falsely claim that an OTP is required to update voter details or to verify the resident's name in the electoral roll.

Commissioner Sajjanar clarified that neither the Election Commission of India nor BLOs ever ask citizens to share OTPs over phone calls. He warned that disclosing this information can have severe consequences for unsuspecting residents.

"Sharing such confidential information could expose bank accounts and personal data to cyber criminals," Commissioner Sajjanar stated.

The commissioner advised voters to never disclose OTPs, banking credentials, or any other sensitive personal information to unknown callers. He stressed that OTPs should only be entered on official Election Commission platforms whenever they are required for genuine voter-related services.

Additionally, the Hyderabad Police appealed to the citizens to immediately disconnect any suspicious calls they receive. They urged anyone targeted by these fraudsters to report the incidents to the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or to contact their nearest police station.